By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has underlined the urgency to bridge socio-economic inequalities that impact access to or use of information and communication technologies and called for concerted actions to ensure that all people in all countries are able to reap the benefits of the Internet.

According to figures released at the 11th annual IGF in Jalisco, Mexico, the current “digital divide” is adversely affecting some four billion people or two out of three households in developing countries that simply do not have access to Internet.…

MUMBAI (IDN | UN Women) – Unveiling a new partnership, UN Women and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMC) organized (on December 6) a high-level event to underline the critical link between women’s economic empowerment and ending violence against women, and the need for urgent and adequate investment in the twin themes.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on a visit to India was the Chief Guest at the conference titled “WeUNiTE: Investing in Planet 50-50”. Private sector leaders, UN officials, gender experts and activists explored how skill development, entrepreneurship and innovation could help achieve gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.…

By Ronald Joshua

ROME (IDN) – King Letsie III of Lesotho has been appointed as Special Ambassador of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for Nutrition. The Organization’s Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, made the announcement at the high-level International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition  December 1-2, 21016.

The Symposium was held to explore country-level challenges and successes in the nutritional reshaping of food production, processing, marketing and retail systems. Malnutrition – including obesity and micronutrient deficiencies – blights the lives of billions of individuals and can trap generations in a vicious cycle of poverty.…

By Julia Rainer

VIENNA (IDN) – The need for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) and the role of industrialization as a driver for development drew the focus of attention as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) celebrated its 50th anniversary in November.

ISID was decided as the new mandate of UNIDO by its member states in 2013. Since then, UNIDO has been striving to translate it into practice through the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP).

According to UNIDO, the PCP is not a static template, but a custom-built partnership formula with each beneficiary country maintaining ownership of the complete process by defining its needs and required support, and finally ensuring the success of its delivery.…

By Kalinga Seneviratne

BANGKOK (IDN) – At the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) annual flagship event ITU Telecom World 2016 from November 14 to 17, there was much discussion about the profit-making motives of technology providers and the need to integrate social goals to help achieve the UN’s new catchcry Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In opening remarks to the event, ITU’s Secretary General Houlin Zhao from China reminded over 8,000 industry leaders and policy makers from across the globe that “the digital divide is very much still with us”, a division that includes geography, gender, education and resources. “It is imperative that we continue to work to close that digital divide,” he declared.…